BIG SCORES KICK OFF GIRLS SOCCER SEASON

By Mya Owens

On a hot and breezy Wednesday afternoon, the season opener for the 2025 Girls High School Football League featured the Academy Cougars and the Sanchez Sharks going head to head at the JFK High School pitch.

Four games kicked off the season and three of them resembled American football scores rather than futbol matches:

Academy 14, Sanchez 0

Southern 16, Tiyan 0 (Cindy Maestrecampo had six goals)

GW 17, St. Paul 0 (Jae’Anilyn Tuncap led the Geckos with nine goals. Amelia Macias added a hat trick. First game for girls Warriors since 2019)

JFK 3, Guam High 2

1st Half
Academy began the game with possession of the ball. Working as one, the Cougars were able to work their way through the Sharks defense. For the majority of the first half, the Cougars held possession and were able to attempt multiple shots, which would be aimed right outside the goal or be stopped by the Sharks goalkeeper, Gabrielle Eay.

When Sanchez managed to send the ball into Academy’s side, the Cougars were able to send it right back and continued to work toward the goal. Cougar Ave Santos was able to put the Cougars on the board by sending the ball from almost midfield and into the Sharks goal. With a new found energy, the Cougars showed off their ball control and assisted Serenity Wusstig in making two back-to-back goals.

“My teammates did a good job at running with the ball and getting the nice assists for me,”
reflected Wusstig.

Despite the Sharks efforts to pass the ball to each other, the ball repeatedly ended up into the Cougar’s possession. The Cougar’s teamwork allowed Ave Santos to make another goal, ending the first half at 4-0.

2nd Half
Sanchez opened the second half with possession, but like the first half, the Cougars swiftly gained control and maintained pressure in the Sharks’ zone. The Sharks showed a surge of urgency and displayed great defensive effort, but with the Cougars continued possession, Maria Paulino, Aubrey Manibusan, Serenity Wusstig, Madison Walker, and Sophia Elyse Kelly each scored a goal. Meanwhile, Landen DeVera scored two goals, and Hinengi San Nicolas scored three.

“Towards the end of the game, we had more communication, more ball control, and played more as a team, we connected during the second half”, San Nicolas stated. “There’s always room for improvement, no team is perfect, we hope to improve our chemistry and get a championship in our case.” she added.

Despite the Shark’s efforts to gain possession and put pressure on the Cougars, the Sharks fell to the Cougars 14-0.